Medics on the front lines - Magen David Adom heroes

Magen David Adom medics treat a wounded soldier in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Photo by Nati Shohat/Flash90

Targeting medical personnel is a war crime. But I think we’ve already established that Hamas cares nothing at all for basic human morals, let along the rules of war.

These are the stories of just some of the heroic medics of Magen David Adom (MDA) who put their lives on the line, and many of whom have fallen in the brutal Hamas invasion of southern Israel and during Israel’s ensuing war against the Gaza terrorists.

The following are from press releases provided by Magen David Adom.

Amit Mann

Amit Mann

Magen David Adom bows its head and mourns the death of the MDA paramedic, Amit Mann, a 22-year-old resident of Kibbutz Be’eri, who was shot and killed on Saturday when she was treating the wounded who came to the clinic in the town of Be’eri where she lived during the Hamas surprise attack on the south of the country. Amit was trapped in the kibbutz clinic along with the wounded and dead for many hours when the terrorists tried to break into the clinic. Amit was buried in the cemetery in Netivot accompanied by family members and hundreds of her friends.

Amit began her career at MDA in 2015 as a youth volunteer, then went on to complete a course for instructors and trained additional volunteers. 4 years ago she was qualified as an EMT and later as a paramedic within the framework of the National Service and worked in intensive care mobility in MDA’s Negev region. About two months ago she began instructing the regional paramedic course in the Negev. During her entire time at MDA, Amit acted professionally, with a great sense of duty in her work. Amit dreamed of studying medicine and continuing to save lives.

Oshrit Haddad, a paramedic at MDA and Amit’s best friend: “Amit was always there for everyone, she is someone who is simply always there, you could always trust her. On Saturday, while terrorists were shooting at them, she continued to help patients and tried to save their lives. She fought for their lives until the last moments.”

MDA Director General Eli Bin on Amit Mann: “Amit was a heroic paramedic who continued to treat the wounded even while terrorists tried to break into the clinic in Kibbutz Be’eri. She sacrificed herself while trying to protect the lives of the patients – her priority was only what was best for them. Her untimely passing left us shocked and in pain. Magen David Adom cherishes all that Amit has done, and our employees and volunteers bow their heads and hug her family. May her memory be blessed.”

Sergeant Yarin Peled

Sergeant Yarin Peled

Magen David Adom bows its head in memory Sergeant Yarin Peled, an IDF soldier and MDA volunteer who fell in the “Iron Swords” war, at 20 years old.

Yarin started her career at MDA in 2018, she took several courses and also led courses at the station. After that, she went to a EMT course and became an EMT at the MDA.

Idan Kishinevsky, an EMT at the MDA and Yarin’s partner says: “We were together for 5 years. She was always there at every moment, no matter what time it was – she would come, she was a listening ear, there wasn’t one who didn’t like her at the station. She always wanted to do as many shifts as possible even when she didn’t have time, she was perfect, I have no other word to describe her.”

Head of volunteers and Yarin’s friend, Linoy Weizman: “Even when Yarin enlisted, she didn’t leave the station, and continued to do shifts. She wanted to be a paramedic and a nurse, she started doing psychometrics to fulfill her dream – to save lives. She was an EMT in the army, she was supposed to be discharged. She was very important to me, always the first to help no matter what happened and what was around her, was always there for everyone as a listening ear. She was an instructor at the station here at the station, training future generations. She was a figure to be appreciated and admired.”

MDA Director General, Eli Bin, paid tribute to Yarin Peled: “Yarin was an active volunteer who wanted to continue contributing to the MDA even after her military service, her absence will be felt. Magen David Adom participates in the family’s grief and hugs them. May her memory be blessed.”

Aviya Hezroni

Aviya Hezroni

Magen David Adom bows its head and mourns the murder of a senior MDA EMT, Aviya Hezroni, 69 years old, who was murdered in his home when terrorists broke in and shot him during Hamas’s attack on southern Israel.

Aviya volunteered for over 20 years at MDA, he provided medical assistance in the Be’eri sector, was a senior EMT at MDA and was one of the ambulance drivers in the kibbutz. Aviya’s friends tell of a man of great giving, who put MDA and saving lives as the first priority.

Meir Elmaliach, manager of Netivot Station MDA and a close friend of Aviya: “I have known Aviya for about 30 years and I can’t believe I am talking about him in the past tense. He is a very, very close friend. He accompanied us for many years, he is a special person, he was the father of the station in the kibbutz. An amazing man, an amazing grandfather, an admired man who carried people on him, very smart, professional and all he did was giving. I saw a lot of people who loved MDA, I didn’t see any who loved MDA as much as he did, and probably I won’t see either.”

MDA Director General Eli Bin eulogized Aviya Hezroni: “Aviya was a giving man who contributed a lot to Magen David Adom, his work at the Netivot station and Kibbutz Be’eri will be remembered for many years. MDA employees and volunteers bow their heads and mourn this great loss. May his memory be blessed.”

Oren Benita

Oren Benita, an MDA paramedic resident of Mefalsim, woke up on Saturday at 6:30 a.m. to sirens, the sounds of rockets falling and gunfire outside his house. Oren, who serves as an MDA paramedic in the kibbutz, quickly organized himself, put on a vest and protective equipment, and within minutes began treating gunshot wounds of the kibbutz residents who were brought to his living room.

“Due to the shooting, leaving the house was not possible and the local security forces who know that I am an MDA paramedic and that there is an intensive care vehicle that is regularly on standby near my house came to me and brought 2 gunshot wounds,” says Oren. “While I was engaged in life-saving medical treatment the soldiers continued fighting outside. Some even climbed onto the roof of my house and continued fighting from the balcony. My 11-year-old daughter was at home. So she would not be exposed to the difficult sights in our house, the soldiers moved her to a safe place with her eyes covered. After a few hours, we were able to rescue the wounded fighters under live fire to the kibbutz gate; from there they were transferred in protected intensive care vehicles to continue receiving medical treatment in the hospital.”

Talal Abu Jameh

Talal Abu Jameh, a senior EMT at the MDA who lives in Arara, recounts the first day of the war: “I woke up from sleep to the sounds of rocket falls in an open area near my house, I called the MDA’s Dispatch Center and immediately arrived at the station. I organized the equipment, including ballistic vest and helmets, because I knew that the situation will not be good. I was standing at the station, when I suddenly heard a very loud boom and saw black smoke. I called the dispatch center and told them there was a fall in neighborhood 4, I drove there quickly and on the way my son called me, I heard a lot of shouting in the background, I heard him say he’s dead, he’s dead.’

“I got there and proceeded on foot, the family was there, I saw my cousin, only 4 years old, lying unconscious on the floor. It was clear to me that he was very seriously injured, I evacuated him in an ambulance to the hospital – where unfortunately he was pronounced dead. Then I realized there was no choice and even though everyone in my family was traumatized by the incident, I knew I had to be part of the team, and I went back to work. We must overcome and be strong. I’ve been in the MDA for 30 years, I’ve seen a lot of things in my life as an EMT in the MDA, I’ve never seen such a cruel thing in my life, they have no heart, I don’t know how they did these things.”

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Medics on the front lines – Magen David Adom heroes

Amit Mann

Sergeant Yarin Peled

Aviya Hezroni

Oren Benita

Talal Abu Jameh

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